‘Landowners asked for commercial zoning'
Rosli: Landowners' opinions sought according to procedure.
KUALA Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) says landowners of the 120-year-old Vivekananda Ashram in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, asked for its site to be zoned as 'main commercial'.
Its City Planning Department senior deputy director Rosli Nordin said the ashram landowners and other landowners in the vicinity requested for the change in zoning status for the 0.4ha site.
The site was recently zoned as 'main commercial' under Kuala Lumpur Local Plan 2040 while the ashram building is classified as 'Category 1 Heritage Building' under National Heritage Act 2005.
'We obtained their opinions through procedures under Rule 7 in Planning (Development) Rules 1970,' Rosli said at a conference held in Kuala Lumpur.
He was responding to session moderator Charles Tan, a member of the Save Kuala Lumpur Coalition.
Tan said the area was not classified as 'main commercial' in the 2020 local plan, so the recent zoning was actually a change.
The conference themed 'Moving Towards a Sustainable City' was organised by Kuala Lumpur Residents Action for Sustainable Development Association and attracted about 100 attendees.
It featured three panel sessions that discussed the issues of transparency and public participation in development control processes, hill land management, and urban renewal.
Another heated exchange occurred during a session discussing urban renewal.
Concerns were raised about the proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA), which an attendee alleged does not include homeowners and residents, and would grant too much power to the minister in charge.
He also questioned the need to lower the consent threshold from 80% to 75%.
In answer, Town and Country Planning Department (PLANMalaysia) head of technical drafting unit Lilian Tai said URA would not grant excessive power to the minister.
'If you read through the law, the minister is not the only member of the executive committee responsible for urban renewal,' she said.
She added that the government was opening up an avenue for residents to be involved in the development of URA.
The attendee urged Tai and the relevant authorities to visit the 139 sites earmarked for redevelopment, to obtain residents' feedback.
Tai replied that the 139 sites were only 'potential' sites for redevelopment.
'Even if the sites were already gazetted for redevelopment, the developer still needs to go through a consultation process led by the government.
'The project won't take off if it is not viable,' she explained.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
2 days ago
- The Sun
Dr Wan Azizah hands over 65 cows for Aidiladha sacrifice in Bandar Tun Razak
KUALA LUMPUR: Bandar Tun Razak member of parliament Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail today handed over 65 cows for the sacrificial ritual in conjunction with the upcoming Aidiladha celebration. The cows were distributed to representatives of residents' associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), surau and mosques within the parliamentary constituency. Dr Wan Azizah expressed her gratitude to all parties who generously sponsored the cows for Aidiladha sacrifice, as it is not only an act of worship but would also benefit the community. 'Through the distribution of qurban (sacrificial) meat to the poor and the needy, we can strengthen communal ties and ensure that no one is left out from the blessings bestowed by Allah,' she said at the handover ceremony held at Masjid Zaid Bin Thabit, Desa Tun Razak, here today. Also present were the Prime Minister's political secretary Datuk Azman Abidin and Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) Advisory Board member, Hayatul Kamil Termudi.
Malaysiakini
2 days ago
- Malaysiakini
Three concerns regarding Urban Renewal Act
COMMENT | The recently proposed Urban Renewal Act (URA) by the government has raised concerns among members of the public. They say this new law, aimed at revitalising and modernising areas which are deemed as 'urban decay' with 'ageing infrastructure', will backfire and instead be harmful to residents, especially those who are in vulnerable groups. Any policy, regardless of how well-intentioned it is, should also take into account the overall feedback of the affected residents, and steps should be taken to address their concerns. From our research and reviews, we have determined three main problems regarding the URA...
New Straits Times
2 days ago
- New Straits Times
Govt mulls housing above train stations to ease congestion
PETALING JAYA: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government is reviewing a proposal to build housing projects above railway stations to help ease traffic congestion. The plan is being studied with Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL), and regulatory amendments are in progress. "This means the (public housing) project would be built above (the railway station). It will include commercial housing.... not all units will be public housing, but some of them will be. This are among the measures that will be taken (to ease traffic congestion)," he said at the Ilmuan Malaysia Madani forum hosted by the Higher Education Ministry. Also present at the forum were Transport Minister Anthony Loke, Prasarana Malaysia Bhd president and group chief executive officer Mohd Azharuddin Mat Sah and Universiti Putra Malaysia vice-chancellor Datuk Professor Dr Ahmad Farhan Mohd Sadullah. Anwar also addressed the construction of vertical schools under the Kota Madani development, saying they will follow strict safety standards and improved designs. "In Kota Madani Putrajaya, vertical schools will indeed be introduced, and parking will be underground. The residential level will be a proper garden, while the school will be located above. If a school has a lift, it will be dedicated for school use only. So, one can walk from level 14 down to the kindergarten or school, but the construction will be subject to strict conditions," he said. He said the Kota Madani project in Penang will involve 10,000 housing units in Seberang Jaya and Batu Kawan, in South and Central Seberang Perai respectively. "This will include vertical schools, fire stations, and clinics all within the vicinity, so people won't have to bear transportation costs. Otherwise, the MRT won't be viable as people won't use it. This can help reduce the burden on public transportation," he said. Meanwhile, Loke said his ministry and the Ministry of Housing and Local Government are reviewing a plan to reduce or remove parking spaces in flats near railway stations. He said the plan requires policy amendments and has not yet been finalised.
